


Play-offs, Schmlay-offs. (Or, How I Spent My Summer Vacation)

by boltschick2612



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Colorado Avalanche, M/M, Off-Season, Phoenix Coyotes, Tampa Bay Lightning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-13
Updated: 2013-01-13
Packaged: 2017-11-25 09:33:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/637491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boltschick2612/pseuds/boltschick2612
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What the members of the Lightning were doing this past summer instead of playing in the playoffs. No, really. That's it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Play-offs, Schmlay-offs. (Or, How I Spent My Summer Vacation)

**Author's Note:**

> The Chicago bit was inspired by nothing more than my imagination. It's set during the first round of the 2012 playoffs, Phoenix vs. Chicago.  
> The Ontario bit was inspired by the news that Steven Stamkos suffered through the final month of the regular season with a shoulder injury. He recently had an MRI, and it revealed that he didn't need surgery (thank God and the hockey gods). But for the sake of this story, we're going to pretend that he did.  
> And the Tampa bit was inspired by a number of pictures that Nate Thompson tweeted of himself fishing just a few days ago. Everything's a lie.

Chicago, Illinois

Mike walked down the long hallway to his hotel room, feeling the soft carpet part under his dress shoes. Every one of his muscles ached, his head was still pounding and his ears still ringing from all the noise in the arena, but playoff hockey was a completely different animal and he wouldn't have it any other way. As he trudged down what seemed like the longest hallway of his life, Mike reflected on how much his life has changed in less than a year's time. This time last year, he was playing back up for Dwayne Roloson and the Lightning during the first round of their first playoff run in seven years. At this point in the playoffs last year, he was merely sitting back and enjoying the ride, as he had yet to play in a playoff game due to the Lightning's starting goalie being on a white hot win streak.

Now,  _he_ was the starting goalie riding the white hot win streak and some have gone as far as to accuse him of reviving the Coyote's fan base, maybe even saving the franchise. While Mike was truly relishing in the first starting job of his career, he was still the same humble guy at heart, and sometimes all the attention made him uncomfortable. Mike had left the United Center after the Coyote's game against the Blackhawks and went straight to the hotel, his heart pounding the entire bus ride there in anticipation of being back to the hotel room. It wasn't the promise of a hot shower or a comfortable bed that was fueling Mike's anticipation, but the knowledge of who would be waiting in the hotel room for him.

Mike arrived to his room after what seemed like forever, and fumbled with the key card, his hands shaking. As he pushed the door open, the pungent smell of pickles and peppers assaulted his nose. He let the door close behind him and smiled as he took in the sight of Ryan sitting cross legged on the hotel bed with half a dozen hot dogs spread out on top of the comforter, picnic style. Ryan looked up at Mike with a smile on his face, the same signature smirk that made Mike fall in love with him years ago, and patted the bed next to him to signal Mike to sit down. Mike crossed the room and sat, causing half the bed to sink under his weight. Ryan leaned over and planted a small kiss behind his ear, then straightened up to speak. 

"Would you believe that all the times we've been to Chicago, and I've never had a Chicago style hot dog?"

Mike looked down at the foot of the bed, taking in the spread of food that Ryan had provided. Mike leaned over and rested his chin on Ryan's shoulder, whispering in his ear. 

"Thank you. Thank you for the dinner, and thank you for coming with me."

The food was momentarily forgotten as Ryan reached up, ran his fingers through Mike's hair and moved in to press his lips to Mike's. After a few seconds, Ryan pulled away and gently trailed his finger tips up and down Mike's arm. Ryan leaned forward, touching his forehead to Mike's before locking eyes and gently whispering to him.

"I don't want this to ever end."

 

 

  

Newmarket, Ontario, Canada

Stamkos was jolted awake by the sound of a key turning the lock of the front door. For a moment, the daze of sleep and prescription pain killers had made him forget all about the shoulder surgery he had endured and the respite he was enjoying at Steve Downie's house in Ontario.He had briefly thought that he was still in Tampa, his shoulder perfectly fine. All of those thoughts vanished as soon as the sound of the lock turning made him jump slightly, sending a sharp bolt of pain coursing through the arm that was currently being cradled in a sling. His eyes flew open and it all came rushing back to him, including his awareness as to his surroundings. A smile broke out on Stamkos' face as Downie stepped through the front door, grocery bags in hand. He started to get up to help Downie with the  groceries, causing another sharp jolt of pain.

"Sit back down! What do you think you're doing?"

Stamkos falls back down to the couch with a heavy thud. Almost all of his will to move was diminished by Downie's insistence, and the rest of it was removed by the pain that coursed through him with every movement.

"What did you get?", Stamkos asked from where he was sitting on the couch.

Downie carried the bags to the kitchen and set them on the counter before making his way back to where Stamkos was now laying on the couch. He sat on the edge of the couch, and spread the blanket over Stamkos' form before bending down and planting a kiss on his forehead.

"Chicken, cheese,  tomato sauce..."

Downie smiled when he saw the grin this elicited in Stamkos. He was going through so much right now, and Downie loved doing everything in his power to make him happy.

"You're going to make me chicken parmesan? You're so good to me, Downs."

Downie leaned down once more and gently placed his lips to Stamkos' before whispering to him. "Anything for you. In sickness and in health...."

 

 

  
Off the West Coast of Tampa, Florida.

"Reel it in! Reel it in!"

Nate's voice broke through Teddy's thoughts, which currently included everything from "Why the hell am I on this boat?" to "What would I even do with a fish if I caught one?"

Nate stood on the bow of the boat, watching Teddy's muscles tense as he wrestled with the fishing pole and the large fish that was snagged on the end of it. Nate had awoken Teddy around 6am that morning, begging to go fishing out on the boat with a tone that rivaled a begging child. Although Teddy reluctantly agreed, his mood hadn't been anything other than sour ever since. 

"I know how to fish, Nate."

Teddy briefly stopped his struggle to shoot Nate a look of annoyance, and at that second the line snapped, sending the fishing pole swinging back towards his face.

"Apparently you don't, Ahab." Nate laughed a little before walking over to Teddy to take the pole from him and give him a light slap on the shoulder. "Don't worry, you'll get your whale."

Teddy just scoffed at him and walked over to the cooler to grab another beer, fishing through the partially melted ice. He then hears Nate's voice come from behind him.

"I thought Newfies were fisherman. Guess I was wrong."

For the first time all day, a smile broke out on Teddy's face and he spoke without turning around or missing a beat. "And I thought Alaskans were assholes. Guess I was right."

Nate just ignores him and walks over to the cooler that contained all the fish that they had caught that day. He then grabbed one out and posed with it in a mock kiss, just in time for Teddy to turn around and see Nate standing with a dead fish ridiculously close to his face.

"Take a picture, Teds!"

Teddy rolls his eyes and trains his cell phone on Nate, obliging him with a picture. Teddy's mood was starting to elevate some, and he was almost starting to be glad that he agreed to the fishing trip.

As soon as Teddy pulled the phone away from his face, Nate started to make his way to where Teddy was standing. He wrapped his arms around Teddy's waist and pulled him close, leaning in for a kiss, but Teddy pulled away.

"You're not kissing me after you had your lips on that fish!"

Nate pulled him back again and lightly tickled Teddy's nose with his own. Teddy laughed and pressed his lips to Nate's as the sun set in the background behind them.


End file.
